


Cause and Effect

by wyse_ink



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Growing Up, Jealousy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-09 22:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6926371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyse_ink/pseuds/wyse_ink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aomine and Momoi’s friendship is tested after she attends a school dance with Kuroko, leaving both of them to wonder why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cause and Effect

        She’d spent hours in front of her mirror that evening. In all that time, the blush had never faded from her cheeks, even when her dad had come in briefly to give her yet another lecture on curfew. Satsuki had barely heard him. Her mind was already in the clouds, or rather at the old gym on the dance floor where the school dance was about to take place. It’d been there even since she’d asked Tetsu to join her, and in his usual, quiet tone, he’d agreed.  
        Now, he’d be here any minute. She stood up and smoothed the light pink fabric of her dress. It was perfect—two-toned, with a black, sweetheart-cut bodice and a pale pink skirt that flared out from the waist. She’d curled her hair and wore it half up in a style she’d seen in a magazine. After wearing nothing but her school uniform and t-shirts for so long, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this pretty. Taking a deep breath, she headed down the stairs. When her parents saw her, they smiled.  
        “You look beautiful,” her mother said, pulling her into a gentle hug. “I hope you have a wonderful time.”  
        “I will,” Satsuki said with certainty. And she would. How long had she imagined dancing with Tetsuya or going on a real date with him? Sure, they’d spent time together before, but usually it’d been impromptu, like walking to the convenience store after practice in middle school or even shopping for equipment for the team. When something had been planned, it’d rarely been just the two of them. More often than not, Daiki tagged along, with his big, clunky footsteps and constant string of complaints. Well, she thought to herself, that wouldn’t be the case tonight. She hadn’t even mentioned to him that she was going to the dance, much less with Kuroko Tetsuya.  
        A small pang of guilt began to form at the pit of her stomach as the realization sank in. She hadn’t mentioned it to Dai-chan at all. Though she knew he wouldn’t care if she went with Tetsu, she couldn’t help but wonder if she should have said something. In the past, it hadn’t been abnormal for the two of them to either go to a school function together or just pass them up completely, depending on their mood. In junior high, they’d gone as a group with the rest of the team once or twice, but never had she been to one without him. The memory of her mother’s face when she’d told her she was going to the dance with Tetsu suddenly flickered before her. Her eyebrows had risen slightly as if she’d been surprised, but she’d expressed nothing but encouragement all the same. At the time, Satsuki had just thought that her mother was surprised she was attending at all with how busy her schedule already was, but now that she thought about it, she wasn’t so sure.  
        The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. She hurried to open it, her face flushing as she swung the door open to reveal the familiar, light-blue eyes and messy blue hair she knew so well. He was dressed nicely, in a well-fitting black suit with a pale blue tie. The sight of him in it made her head spin as he smiled and greeted her politely. She’d never seen him wear anything like it—even in middle school, she’d only ever seen him wear a white suit that was a bit too big for him. If there was anyone who hadn’t noticed him before, they were certainly more likely to now.  
        “Kuroko-kun, come in!” her mother’s voice echoed, interrupting her thoughts. Tetsuya slipped his shoes off and stepped inside, greeting the woman and her husband respectfully. Satsuki’s mother didn’t miss a beat, quickly producing a camera and training it on the two of them. “You didn’t think you were getting away without these, did you?” she teased as Satsuki took Tetsuya’s arm. Once, twice, three times the camera flashed until her mom was satisfied, and before they could take any more photos, Satsuki hurriedly pulled her date out the door.  
        “Sorry,” she said, her face turning pink again. “They get pretty excited about stuff.”  
        Tetsu smiled. “It’s not a bad thing.” They faded into silence for a bit as they made their way toward the school. The evening air was warm as they walked to the train station, but there was enough of a cool breeze to keep it comfortable, even in their semi-formal attire.  
        “How’s the team been?”  
        “Good,” he replied contently, his eyes becoming distant. “It’s going to be weird next year since the seniors will be retiring after the Winter Cup. But we’ve all got our sights set on the goal.”  
        “Which is?”  
        He turned to her and smiled. “To defend our title, of course.” At this, Satsuki laughed and narrowed her eyes in feigned wickedness.  
        “Easier said than done,” she told him. “Our team is stronger than ever this year. Even Dai-chan seems fired up to win.” She paused for a moment, remembering their most recent practice. He’d been unstoppable, even with the strong senior players and the promising freshmen going up against him. But it was different than before—she hadn’t missed the fire in their eyes as they stepped up to the challenge, and for the first time in a long time, both sides were truly having fun. A small smile crossed her face before she could stop it. It seemed her old friend was truly returning to his old self again, at least when it came to basketball, and for that she was grateful. As irritating as Dai-chan could be, she was always flooded with warmth when she saw him smiling or heard him laughing along with his fellow teammates. It reminded her of their early middle school days, and even some time before that when he’d challenged people twice his age at the park.  
        They reached the school a half hour after the dance had begun. Once inside, Satsuki’s eyes widened at the sight of it. The student council had really come through and transformed the gym into a Parisian paradise, courtesy of this year’s theme. There was even a place for photos set up near a false window with an image of the Eiffel Tower and French cityscape behind it. There was even a faux fountain in the corner with what looked to be an accumulation of large, gold coins in its base. Chocolate coins, Satsuki noticed, giggling at the cleverness as a nearby student stuffed one in his mouth.  
        “Momo-chan!” Satsuki turned to see a dark-haired girl with purple-framed glasses a white dress waving at them. She grabbed her date and tugged him along with her to greet them. “Momo-chan, I didn’t think you were coming! Is Aomine-san with you?”  
        “Change of plans,” Satsuki answered quickly, ignoring the curious look Tetsuya shot her. “You look so pretty, Honoka-chan!”  
        Honoka beamed, her glasses rising with her cheeks as she did so. “Thanks! I got this dress on sale, you know. My grandma had to take it in a bit since I can’t really fill it out, but I think it still looks nice.” Satsuki laughed as Honoka’s date blushed and quickly turned away. Though they had only become friends this past year, Satsuki had already learned that Honoka rarely bothered to think before she spoke. Still, she was kind to everyone and loved sports, so Satsuki had always found her to be pleasant company. Honoka turned to Tetsuya and jumped and squeaked, as if noticing him for the first time.  
        “Oh my, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. You play for Seirin, right?” she asked him, her eyes widening with excitement. When he nodded, she squealed. “That’s so cool! They’re a really good team. I bet we’ll be facing you guys at the tournaments again this year.”  
        “I hope so,” Tetsuya replied.  
        “Whoops, look at the time!” Honoka said as her date tapped his watch. “We’d better get going or we’ll be late for our pictures. It’s great seeing you both.” With that, she grabbed her date’s hand and pulled him away toward the photo stand. Once they were gone, Satsuki let out a long sigh. Beside her, she heard Kuroko chuckle slightly.  
        “She’s very…loud,” she told him, and he shook his head as if he didn’t mind.  
        “She seems nice.”  
        “She is.” They stepped out onto floor for the first time. It was crowded, barely allowing either of them room to breathe. And it was loud—music blasted from the speakers where the sound booth had been set up and everyone chattered excitedly around them. Satsuki couldn’t remember ever seeing it this crowded before. She turned to Tetsuya. “Do you want to dance, get snacks, or…” she paused, losing her train of thought. It seemed weird to immediately walk out to the floor and start dancing, especially to a fast, upbeat tune like the one that played.  
        “Maybe snacks first,” he said, and she nodded in relief. Together, they made their way over to the stand. Everything from candy to slices of cake were being sold, along with a colorful variety of fruit punch. Satsuki settled for a box of lemon-flavored gummy candy, and once Tetsuya had made his choice, they made their way toward the only empty table in the corner.  
        “It’s been a while since we’ve hung out like this,” she said between bites as they watched the others. “Since junior high, at least.”  
        He nodded. “Do you miss it? Teiko, I mean.”  
        “Of course I do,” she replied. “Sometimes I even get nostalgic about it, but I guess that’s a good thing.”  
        They were quiet for a minute, and Satsuki could tell his mind was drifting back to the days when they’d all been on the same team. Her answer hadn’t been entirely truthful, she thought as she took another bite. Nostalgic was an understatement. There were days when the memories refused to leave her and caused an ache in her chest, but just as quickly as they came, they started to fade as soon as she heard the sound of a basketball hitting the court or a whistle being blown. She sat back slowly. After this year, they would be seniors. After that, they would be going their separate ways again. She doubted they would all go to the same universities. Being on the same team had had its time, and she was sure that it wouldn’t happen again, not in the same way. That was a pattern that had been set in motion the day they’d chosen their new paths: Kise to Kaijo, Akashi to Rakuzan, Murasakibara to Yosen, Midorima to Shutoku, Tetsu to Seirin, and Dai-chan…well, she’d gone with him to Touou, hadn’t she? There’d been some comfort in that, she thought, that they’d been able to stick together.  
        She pictured his tall, lazy frame, sauntering around the school with nothing but basketball on his mind, only to cut class and take naps on the school’s rooftop. It was hard to believe that the lazy Dai-chan who seemed permanently in a bad mood was the same person who came alive on the court, setting new school records every game, and even more personal records during practices. It was hard to believe he was the same person who complained about running errands and gave school festival events his all just so his team could earn the top spot. The same person who she’d always bickered and argued with.  
        The same person who’d once bought her a teddy bear when she’d been feeling down.  
        Satsuki pushed the thought aside and set her box of candy. It made no sense that she would be thinking of Daiki right now. This was a special night, one that she’d chosen to share with the boy she’d had a crush on for years. She stood up and brushed off her skirt before extending a hand to Tetsu. “Let’s dance,” she said as the song changed. He set aside his drink and took her hand before leading her onto the dance floor.

***

        She still hadn’t answered her damn phone. Aomine glanced at the screen, checking his inbox for the fourth time that evening. It was strange that she hadn’t texted him back by now. He was pretty sure he hadn’t just made her mad at him again, since she’d seemed fine at school that morning. No, he thought as he set his phone aside and stared at the ceiling. For all he knew, she could just be busy studying, but that didn’t explain why she wasn’t answering her phone. She always kept it on the table beside her, even if she were completely engrossed in a book or notes. It was also Saturday night.  
        Aomine sat up and rubbed his eyes. No, he thought. Even as studious as Satsuki could be, she almost never studied on a Saturday. Swearing under his breath, he stood up and pulled on his t-shirt. It wasn’t that he was worried about her—Satsuki was more than capable of taking care of herself. He paused as he started out of his room. He was sure going to her place would just be a waste of time. Maybe she’d even fallen asleep or her family had company. That would make sense then, he thought. Her manners were too good to have her phone out when she had a guest.  
        But then again, hadn’t she always mentioned when her family was planning to entertain so he wouldn’t drop in unannounced?  
        “Damn it.” He pushed his way out the door, down the hall, and out into the night. As he strode aimlessly down the familiar path, he yawned. He felt even more tired than usual despite not having had practice that day. He’d gone for a run and spent the afternoon shooting hoops in the park, but despite this, his footsteps felt heavy. Still, he continued to walk, unconcerned with where his footsteps were leading him, even when they passed the park, trekked up the hill, and around the corner. It wasn’t until he came face-to-face with the familiar exterior that he realized where he was.  
        For a moment, he stared at the front door. The lights were on in the house, and he could just faintly make out the sound of the TV inside. Taking a step up to the door, his mind raced. He was being ridiculous, he thought as he raised his hand to knock. In fact, Satsuki would probably be pissed at him for disrupting her sleep or study or whatever kind of time this was. Once, twice, he knocked quietly, almost hoping nobody would answer. When the door swung open to reveal her mother’s small form, eyes filled with concern, he knew he’d made a mistake.  
        “Daiki, what are you doing out so late?”  
        “I…” Aomine’s voice faded as he realized how stupid he must look. He certainly felt that way. “Is Satsuki here?”  
        He wasn’t always such an idiot. He didn’t miss the way she blinked, as though she were trying to choose her words carefully.  
        “I’m sorry, she’s not in,” she said slowly. “Is everything okay?” Aomine reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.  
        “Yeah, it’s fine,” he told her. “Sorry to bother you, Momoi-san.” The woman’s brow furrowed slightly as he took a step back.  
        “It’s no trouble,” she said gently. “You have a good night, Daiki.” With that, he turned and walked away, hearing the door close after a moment behind him. His mind was spinning as he walked nowhere in particular. What the hell could she be doing at this hour? Surely she was okay since her mother hadn’t seemed worried. Maybe she was just out with friends, or maybe…  
        He pushed the thought aside. No, Satsuki wasn’t on a date. She would have told him if she were. Hell, she wasn’t even interested in anyone other than Kuroko, and Aomine was fairly certain that his former teammate only humored her out of respect most of the time. He gritted his teeth as a new thought came to his mind. Maybe Kuroko would know where she was. He probably could’ve saved himself this trip had he just texted him before he’d left, and he hadn’t even bothered to grab his phone on the way out.  
        She was fine. He knew he should be satisfied knowing that much, and yet his mind wandered to one scenario and then the next, each of them eating away at him a little more than the first. This is stupid, he thought as he made his way through the chain link fence that surrounded the park’s basketball court. He stared up at the hoop, taking in its familiar worn netting and chipped paint along the backboard. How many points had he scored here since the moment he’d first picked up a basketball? Thousands at least, he thought, shoving his hands into his pockets. He’d practiced here every day as a kid, rain or shine. It was long before his days with Teiko or even as a player on a real team, and yet here he was, in the same place he’d always stood when he fell into a daydream about becoming a pro player.  
        Satsuki had teased him more than a few times for it. _Dai-chan, you look crazy,_ she’d told him each time he’d gotten what she called a faraway look in his eye. The thought made him chuckle now as her voice echoed through his mind. Maybe he was.  
        He sat down and laid on his back, taking in the flickering lamplight that lit the court. He supposed he had been a little worried, ridiculous though it was. If her parents weren’t worried, he sure as hell didn’t have any reason to be. Yet even still, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he was missing something important. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.  
        The sound of footsteps and heels clacking against the concrete awoke him a half hour later, along with the sound of laughter. He opened his eyes and turned his head just as they came into view: a guy about his own age in a black suit, and a girl…  
        His stomach twisted into knots as reality settled in. Quickly, he stood up and started toward the opposite direction. As he stormed away, he heard the rustling of the chain link fence as one of them put their hand on it. He heard her call out to him, but he was already gone. When he got home, he picked up his phone again, irritation flooding through him as he saw a single message in his inbox from Kuroko.

_You and Momoi-san need to talk._

Like hell they did, he thought, tossing his phone aside. He had nothing to say to her.

***

        Satsuki paced back and forth in her room that night. She knew Daiki was angry with her, and she had the lingering suspicion that it was all her fault. No, she thought to herself. It was her fault. She should have just told him about the dance and Tetsu when she’d had the chance. She’d certainly had enough of them—how many times had they talked in the days leading up to it? He’d even been at her house every day, sprawling out on the floor like he always did as she did her homework. Yet not once had she mentioned it to him and, more importantly, she didn’t know why she hadn’t.  
        She sent him another text message. Her mother had told him that he’d stopped by while she’d been away, and she hadn’t missed the strange tone she’d had when she’d said it. Biting her lip, she set her phone down on her desk. She was no stranger to Daiki’s overreactions, especially when it came to misunderstandings between them. Those had happened more times than she could count, but there was something about the way he’d run off without a word, shoulders tense and head low, that felt different. As she changed into an old tank top and pajama shorts, she glanced continuously at the screen, anticipating his response. Sighing in frustration, she walked into the bathroom, put her hair up, and washed the makeup off her face. When she returned, she found her inbox still empty. With a huff, she picked up her phone again and angrily pounded the keys with her index finger.

_What’s your problem? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you’re being a real jerk._

She hit send and collapsed onto her bed, pulling her pillow over her eyes. It didn’t matter, she told herself. She’d had a great time, and she wasn’t about to let his sour attitude spoil it. She’d already spent more of the night worrying about what would happen when he found out. Now that it had, she wished she hadn’t given it a second thought. Why hadn’t she just told him and spared herself the trouble?  
        With an exasperated sigh, she closed her eyes. It wasn’t something that could be helped tonight. For now, she could only try to sleep and hope that things would be back to normal by tomorrow.  
        They weren’t. When she awoke from her hours of tossing and turning the next morning, there was still no message from Daiki. There was one from Honoka and a vague message from Tetsuya suggesting that she and Aomine talk. She replied to him first, asking him if he’d heard from their mutual friend, to which he responded a minute later that he hadn’t. Groaning, she rolled out of bed and threw on a pair of shorts and a gray t-shirt to fit her mood before heading down to breakfast. Her father was already hard at work in the kitchen, preparing breakfast as he always did on Sundays while her mother slept in. He turned to her as she walked in and frowned.  
        “You look awful.”  
        “Thank you,” she said sarcastically, starting toward the coffee pot. The smell of it already filled the room, and she was glad he’d made so much of it. She had a feeling she was going to need the caffeine today. Her father laughed.  
        “I meant you look tired,” he said, handing her a filled plate. “Did you not sleep?” She shook her head and sat down at the table. He watched her for a moment in silence before speaking again. “It’s not about Aomine, is it?”  
        “No,” she said, a bit too quickly. “Not everything’s about him, as much as he’d like it to be.” She concentrated on her breakfast, and she heard her dad sigh, then call for her mother telling her the food was ready. Slowly, he made his way over to the table and joined her.  
        “He was worried about you, Satsuki,” he said quietly. “Can’t you cut the boy some slack? You’ve been friends for ages.”  
        “Not when he’s acting like a jerk,” she replied shortly. At some point during her restless night, she’d made her decision. Momoi Satsuki didn’t owe Aomine Daiki a thing. She had already said her piece—apologized to him for keeping the dance from him—but that was all she needed to give. They didn’t have to do everything together, after all. Still, there was a part of her that thought she understood, her mind drifting back to the night before when she’d had to distract herself with a dance. Things were changing, whether either of them liked it or not. Satsuki hoped he would realize that one day. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to excuse myself,” she said, pushing her seat back and picking up her plate. She didn’t miss the pointed look her father gave her as she retreated back into her room.

***

        Monday’s practice was hell. Aomine couldn’t remember the last time he’d done so poorly—if he ever had—and it didn’t take long for both the coach and team to notice. He was especially aware of Satsuki’s keen eyes watching him, eyes that normally were full of thought and analytical analysis. That wasn’t the case today, he thought. Today, she seemed annoyed, refusing to even look his way throughout the practice. _If anyone should be pissed, it’s me_ , he thought as he shot her a glare. _I’m not the one keeping secrets._ Harasawa blew the whistle as Aomine charged his blocker and waved him over. Reluctantly, he complied.  
        “I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to wake up unless you want to lose to Seirin again,” he said in his usual even, cold tone. “Start reverting back to your old habits and you’re on the bench. Are we clear?” When Aomine didn’t reply, Harasawa sighed. “You’re done for the day. Go cool down.”  
        He took the opportunity to leave, passing by the team manager without a word and throwing his jacket over his shoulder. Ignoring the confused looks of his teammates, he sauntered out the door, glad to be out of the stifling gymnasium air. He made his way to the rooftop and stretched out in his usual spot. Here, it was quiet. He didn’t have to listen to whistles or buzzers or constant chatter. Better yet, he didn’t have to have Satsuki anywhere near him. Maybe it was better that way, he thought, taking a deep breath as the cool air rushed past, bringing the scent of rain with it. He’d sensed that things were changing between them for a while now. It seemed they bickered more than usual over the stupidest things, and more often than not, neither of them seemed to understand why. Even if Satsuki understood it, she’d never given him any indication of why things were working out the way they were.  
        Maybe that was just the kind of thing that happened with time. People grew tired of each other and patience ran thin. But as much as he hated to admit it to himself, he wasn’t tired of Satsuki. At least, he didn’t think he was. He still ventured over to her house nearly every day off they had, and every time they went shopping for supplies or food, they went together. It was strange that she’d keep something as stupid and simple as going to a school dance with Kuroko a secret from him. It wasn’t like it was a big deal.  
        The sound of the ladder creaking caused his eyes to open. He hoped it was Coach Harasawa or even the school dean coming to make him run until he puked or lecture him for breaking school safety rules, but Aomine knew he wasn’t so lucky. The sound of her quick, angry footsteps made him grit his teeth as she approached. A shadow appeared over him with its hands on its hips and long, pink hair spilling over its shoulder.  
        “I give up,” she hissed. “I’ve tried to work this out, tried to talk things over with you, but all you do is lie there like a bump on a log and make an ass of yourself in practice.” He nodded absently, as if he didn’t care one way or another. In truth, her voice graded on him, her accusatory tone sinking in and echoing through his head. “So I guess I’ll say it again since it didn’t make it through your thick skull the first time: I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about going to the dance with Tetsu-kun, and I’m sorry you found out the way you did. But I think you owe me an apology for how you’ve been acting.”  
        “Why?” He sat up, not bothering to suppress the anger that threatened to boil over at that last bit.  
        “What is your problem, anyway?” she demanded, eyes flashing. “Why do you suddenly have a problem with me hanging out with Tetsu-kun now? It’s never been an issue before, so why now?” When he didn’t answer, she continued. “I don’t have to tell you everything that goes on in my life, you know. We could even end up at different universities—what are you going to do then?”  
        “Nothing,” he muttered bitterly, rubbing the back of his neck. “You ask too many questions.”  
        “If you’d just give me an answer, I wouldn’t have to!” She was noticeably upset now, her lower lip quivering.  
        His eyes narrowed as they met hers. He’d no sooner opened his mouth to tell her off when a drop of rain hit his cheek. They both looked up as a wall of water suddenly began to pour down. Aomine scrambled to his feet. “Hurry up,” he told her as they made their dash toward the door. They never used it, and he wasn’t sure if it was even unlocked. To his relief, when he turned the knob it was, and he and Satsuki scrambled into the dark stairwell. “Geez,” he muttered, watching the downpour as he started to close the door.  
        “Leave it open a bit,” Satsuki muttered quietly. “It’ll be too dark in here otherwise.” He left it open just enough to let in some light and sat down on the top step. A rumble of thunder echoed through the stairwell, and they sat in silence for a bit. Finally, Aomine sighed. He hung his head low and rubbed his eyes.  
        “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. The silence that followed was so dense that he wondered if she’d even heard him, but after a bit, he heard her sigh.  
        “Yeah, me too.” She paused. “I really should’ve told you.”  
        “No, you didn’t have to,” he replied. “I was just…” Just what? He thought he knew the word, but it was a concept so absolutely ludicrous to him that he didn’t want to believe that could ever be the case. If it had been, she was the last person he wanted to know. Smoothing her skirt underneath her, she sat down beside him on the step. He could tell she was thinking, and he wondered about what.  
        “It scared me, you know?” she said, staring off into the dark. “I didn’t want you to find out like that, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell you. Then, when you got mad, I just…”  
        Aomine changed the subject. “So, are you two…” He stopped midsentence as he realized what he’d been about to ask. It wasn’t his business, nor was he sure he wanted to hear the answer. To his surprise though, a small, sad smile crossed Satsuki’s face.  
        “No, we aren’t,” she told him. She went quiet for a minute before continuing. “I’m not an idiot. I know he’s just being nice most of the time. He doesn’t feel that way about me.” Something in her tone struck him, and though he’d always known the fact, it pained him to hear it from her. She’d had a crush on Kuroko since middle school, and she’d pined after him ever since. To hear that she’d never expected anything in return surprised him.  
        _He’s an idiot_ , he thought, noticing Satsuki turn to him in his peripheral vision. His brow furrowed as realization sank in, and he dared not look at her. Had he said it aloud? The flush that he could just make out on her cheeks indicated that he had, and he cursed himself internally. Her eyes softened as something seemed to click into place, as if she’d only just realized something he didn’t want to acknowledge. It was confirmed when she leaned in toward him and planted a soft, brief kiss on his cheek. He turned to her then, whether surprised or confused or content he wasn’t sure, and tucked a strand of her long, wet hair behind her ear. She was stubborn and he was an ass. That was just how it’d always been, and he knew that wouldn’t change anytime soon.   
        “We should get back to practice,” he said, standing up, stretching, and feigning a yawn. She stared up at him incredulously.  
        “You can’t be serious.”  
        He glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. She waved her hands hurriedly, as if it didn’t matter either way. Slowly, she stood up, dusting off her skirt and brushing past him. “ _Baka_ ,” she muttered quietly.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Steffel for being so supportive of these fics! 
> 
> This will also be posted on Tumblr at http://seirin-no-sedai.tumblr.com/fics.


End file.
